Dosey Doe a gem for live music

Charlie Bier

Published
7:00 pm CDT, Wednesday, May 5, 2010

With Dire Straits founding member David Knopfler, country music chart-topper Pam Tillis and former Stone Mick Taylor all rolling into town to headline upcoming shows at Dosey Doe Coffee House, the small venue keeps proving why it owns such a big reputation.

With live music most nights of the week, the 280 reserved-seat capacity Dosey Doe draws artists from a range of genres, including rock and roll, blues, folk, country and western and jazz.

Knopfler, who plays at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Tillis (May 15) and Taylor (May 20) are only the latest in a long lineup of stars and up-and-comers drawn to Dosey Doe’s top-notch acoustics and atmosphere.

Word of mouth from artist to artist helps Dosey Doe reel in a steady lineup of quality performers, according to Larry Said, who co-owns Dosey Doe with wife Jean.

Said says when he conceived Dosey Doe, which opened only several years ago, he knew he wouldn’t be able to fork over huge paychecks to visiting musicians. So, he created a place artists would want to play “to show off their craftsmanship.”

Acoustics are a major attraction for the musicians who sign up to play there.

Both Taylor and Knopfler cited Dosey Doe’s acoustics as one key reason they picked the venue, according to Said.

The atmosphere doesn’t hurt either.

The heart of the venue is a 150-year-old barn that was dismantled and trucked in from Kentucky, then pieced back together to stand at 25911 Interstate 45 North. Rustic charm aside, the venue also gives artists a chance to interact with fans, friends or family members.

Drawing cream-of-the-crop performers to Dosey Doe also has something to do with Said’s background in the music industry. The longtime Woodlands resident and businessman spent about 10 years as a lyricist for alternative rock and roll and country acts. His 15 minutes included penning the song “I Can Dream About You,” which Dan Hartman rode to the top of the pop charts in the 1980s.

“It was a great experience and I learned a lot about the music industry,” Said says. “All those conversations I’d have with artists when they’d come into a recording studio about their time on the road really came back to me when I started thinking about Dosey Doe.

“It became clear there were very few venues anywhere that catered to serious songwriters or musicians.”